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Session 3675

PLANNING BEYOND PROMOTION

Nancy L. Denton, Christine Corum Purdue University

ABSTRACT Obtaining tenure and receiving one level of promotion often seem to be the overriding concern for new and/or untenured faculty. Administrators and tenured faculty generally encourage this viewpoint, based on the knowledge that, at many campuses, tenure is a requirement for continued employment. While continued employment is certainly desired by most faculty, satisfaction with professional and personal accomplishments and the opportunity to pursue one’s interests within the constraints of university, family, society, and available time are much more significant.

In order to achieve tenure and promotion, maintain an acceptable level of professional and personal satisfaction, and allow time to pursue some of the activities enjoyed outside of the workplace, each faculty member should develop a comprehensive strategic plan. Based on the escalating workload which is imposed on faculty (either by external or internal sources), the plan must encompass all aspects of life. The level, quantity, and quality of work produced by any one faculty member can be limited by many factors outside of the university, and a realistic strategic plan will reflect these considerations (i.e., aging parents, young children, involvement in religious or charitable organizations, funding agencies, consulting work, etc.), since these same factors may offer the faculty member immeasurable personal satisfaction.

This paper discusses establishing an appropriate plan to meet those obligations needed to achieve tenure and promotion; facilitate pursuit of personal and professional interests which fall outside the reward system at a given university; and prepare for academic success following the first promotion. Adaptation of the plan to accommodate changing university and personal goals is considered.

THE PLAN Planning to meet some future goal is not a new or particularly unusual activity for the average person. In a general sense, planning our future has been in place throughout our lives. For example; from birth, our parents typically plan for us to be completely independent of their care within approximately twenty years. Beginning with the essential activities of eating and sleeping, they gradually guide us toward that end. After a few years under the direction of parents alone (or their designated representatives), the government becomes involved in the process by requiring formal education up to age sixteen which also contributes to our eventual independence. At some variable point in our maturation, we make the plan our own so that we determine such things as future career direction and preparation, make choices regarding employment, residence, spouse (if any) and children (if any), select friends and hobbies; and all other aspects of our life. Thus, we achieve the intended completion of our parents’ plan for our independence eventually. The time frame for reaching the

1996 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings

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Denton, N. L., & Corum, C. L. (1998, June), Planning Beyond Promotion Paper presented at 1998 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/1-2--7343